


Carry You

by serindipitysays



Series: This Music Keeps Us Alive [3]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Reunion Fic, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 04:29:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20540129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serindipitysays/pseuds/serindipitysays
Summary: Rose Tyler had been on the TARDIS for less than an hour and already she was wondering how quickly she could leave again. In an insane moment of desperation she’d used the dimension cannon to cross over to her original universe one final time. She figured once she was here she’d sort out her head and go in search of the Doctor. She hadn’t expected to find him so quickly.Inspired by "Carry You" by Ruelle ft. Fleurie





	Carry You

**Author's Note:**

> "Is anybody out there?  
Can you lead me to the light  
Is anybody out there?  
Tell me it'll all be alright"
> 
> "You are not alone  
I've been here the whole time singing you a song  
I will carry you, I will carry you"  
\- Carry You, Ruelle ft. Fleurie

Rose Tyler had been on the TARDIS for less than an hour and already she was wondering how quickly she could leave again. In an insane moment of desperation she’d used the dimension cannon to cross over to her original universe one final time. She figured once she was here she’d sort out her head and go in search of the Doctor. She hadn’t expected to find him so quickly.

She’d known there was the chance that he would have regenerated by the time she got to him but it was still a shock to see him in this new form. Big hair and an even bigger chin, a bow-tie and suspenders. And walking about like a young professor with a young brunette co-ed draped on his arm.

Rose kicked at the carpet as she walked aimlessly about her old room. Everything here brought back so many memories. If she pretended hard enough she could almost hear Jack singing My Fair Lady in the galley and picture her pinstriped Doctor working under the console.

A soft knock pulled her from her memories and she longed to curl up on her bed and fall back into them.

“Rose.” The voice behind the door definitely did not match her memories. “Can I - can I come in?”

Rose took a deep, steadying breath before opening the door. The Doctor was visibly anxious but she couldn’t ignore the happy smile pulling at the edges of his lips. She wished she could return it. She had earlier when they’d hugged, both excited about their reunion. She could see her happiness reflected in his eyes then, up until Clara had placed her hand in his.

“I just dropped Clara off at home. I was hoping we could talk.”

“Oh, sure. Don’t want your girlfriend to hear.” Rose knew it was a low blow but she couldn’t bite back the retort quick enough.

“Rose.” The Doctor said wearily. “It’s not like that.”

“Of course it is, Doctor. I recognize the looks she gives you. They’re the same ones I know were all over my face when we were together. But that’s okay. You thought I was gone forever, right? Happily off in some parallel world with your doppelganger. Meant you were free to pursue other humans. Didn’t have to worry about the stupid shop girl from the estates when you could have Reinette, or Clara, or whoever else has been here since you sent me away.”

Rose stalked back to sit on the edge of her bed. She ran her hands through her hair in frustration, a sigh escaping her lips as she closed her eyes and prayed for this conversation to be over. She wondered how long it would take the dimension cannon to recharge before remembering that no one knew she was here. There was no one to call her home. Wherever home was anymore.

“What do you want, Doctor?” she asked, the exhaustion apparent in her voice.

“You.” The Doctor responded firmly, taking a step into the room. “It’s always been you.”

Rose opened her eyes and stared at the man in angry confusion. Images flashed across her mind’s eye as she stood and crossed the room, meeting him in the middle. Reinette, Bad Wolf Bay, the TARDIS dematerialising without a goodbye. Before the Doctor could move Rose had pressed the palms of her hands flat against his chest and pushed him away. He stumbled but righted himself quickly, shock and confusion crossing his features.

“You want me? Seriously? You have a fucking fantastic way of showing it, Doctor.” Her voice dripped with pain and anger. He deserved to hear it. He needed to know he’d hurt her. Repeatedly. He’d given her the universe and taken it away just as quickly.

“It’s always been you, Rose. I just never thought - “

“That’s right! You never thought! You didn’t think! You are the most intelligent being I have ever known but you are a right bloody idiot. I worshiped you, Doctor. I loved you. And what did you do? You left me on a cold beach in Norway. Twice!”

“That’s not fair and you know it. I was trying to protect you. I was trying to give you your forever.” The Doctor reached for her hand but she swatted him away before pushing against his chest again, sending him back into the wall with a heavy thud.

“You were trying to protect yourself!” Rose slammed her fists against the his chest even as he tried to grip her wrists. “_You can spend your life with me, but I can’t spend mine with you._ Isn’t that what you told me? The Curse of the Time Lords. Well I lived that curse, Doctor. You thought you were giving me a happy ending and instead I had to watch as you grew old and died. I had to watch as your magnificent mind deteriorated until you couldn’t even remember the stars. You forgot everything. You forgot me.”

Rose slammed her fists against his chest once more before the fight left her. Her legs crumbled beneath her as she fell into a heap at the Doctor’s feet. The Doctor immediately dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around the wounded woman. Her sobs painted the picture and his hearts broke a little bit more with each stroke. He’d done everything he could to give her a happy life and instead he’d condemned her to the worst possible fate.

For what felt like the first time in his long life the Doctor lost track of time. He rocked Rose gently as she sobbed into his chest, gripping anywhere her fingers could find purchase. His bow-tie felt tight around his neck but he didn’t dare remove a hand from Rose’s back as he drew intricate circles against her sweater. What could have been hours or days later he felt Rose’s breathing soften and her body melt into his. He leaned back slowly, resting against the wall as he pulled her gently into his lap. He cradled her against him and tucked her head beneath his chin.

“I’m sorry.” Her small voice was almost lost to the darkness of the room. “I shouldn’t have gone off on you like that. I suppose I’ve been holding on to all of that for a while. No one to talk to when everyone you know is gone.”

“No, I deserved it.” The Doctor ran a hand through her hair and tightened his grip around her waist. “I’m sorry, Rose. I’m so sorry.”

Rose chuckled softly as she heard a bit of her pinstriped Doctor come through. She wiped away the tears that were quickly drying on her cheeks but didn’t move out of the Doctor’s embrace. She didn’t think she could move even if she tried. She’d been pushing herself for so long that it felt as if her body had finally just given up. She let out a sigh and tightened her grip on the Doctor’s shirt even as her eyes began to flutter closed.

“Rose,” The Doctor’s gentle voice wound its way through the exhausted fog clouding her mind. “Sleeping is far more comfortable in a bed. Or a hammock. Do you want to sleep in my hammock?”

“Bed.” Rose mumbled against his chest.

The Doctor carefully removed Rose from his lap so he could stand. Bending over he wrapped an arm under her knees and the other behind her back to carry her to the bed. She was asleep in his arms before he could even deposit her on top of the covers. He gently brushed a lock of hair behind her ear before turning to remove her trainers. He was just about to leave the woman to her dreams when he felt her fingers catch his.

“Will you stay with me?”

The Doctor softened, toed off his boots, and crawled onto the bed behind her. He wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her snugly against his chest. He felt her single heartbeat strong against him and sighed into her warmth.

“Forever.”

* * *

[See the art for this ficlet on my Tumblr.](https://serinsays.tumblr.com/post/187533631122/is-anybody-out-there-can-you-lead-me-to-the)


End file.
